If you’ve made the exciting step of purchasing a motor home, then you are no doubt in for a lifetime of amazing traveling opportunities. You and your family or travel companions will be enjoying a many miles of roadway adventure and all of the exciting activities and sites that come with it. Keep in mind that motor homes require a certain amount of maintenance, so before you take your first trip in your new motor home be sure to follow these tips.
Get Familiar With The Vehicle
It is incredibly important to learn the feel of your new vehicle before you take it on the road. The first thing you should do is take it on a test drive to make sure you have the handling down in terms of parking, turning, and road performance. This will not only make your trip easier but it will assure that there are no driving-related misshapes such as fender benders or engine troubles that will stop you in your tracks.
Also before setting out you should make sure you know how to set up camp for your vehicle. Do a test setup in order to assure you have it down. This will save you time and hassle on your trip and will also assure that the vehicle does not become damaged from improper setup.
Do Your Research
If your mechanical knowledge is low, it will be to your benefit to do some research on basic fixes before you hit the road. These should include tire changing, oil replacement, and basic engine fixes. There are a lot of minor things that can go wrong with engines, but there are also a lot of easy fixes that can take care of them with minimal hassle. Depending on the type of RV you are renting, look up the top potential engine issues with that model and make sure you read up on how to fix them. Keep the directions saved on a device or print them out so they are handy during your trip. Also keep in mind that there are many videos on You tube and other online sources that will walk you step-by-step through the process for performing many different fixes.
Another item you will want to research is the user’s manual for your chosen RV. Most motor homes come with a manual, and this is an important piece of information when it comes to the general day-to-day upkeep of the vehicle. The manual will tell you about which issues to watch out for, including what various warning signals mean. So if you’re wondering why there’s a red light on the dashboard, a consult of the manual will let you know. The manual will also go over some basic fixes for minor problems that may not turn up online since they are specific to your vehicle model. For this reason alone, studying the manual ahead of your trip will help you prepare for the day-to-day upkeep of the rig while you are out on the road and help you to anticipate and know how to fix minor issues before they happen.
Invest In Basic Tools
No matter what your level of mechanical expertise may be, you will always want to bring along a set of basic tools on any road trip. The presence of a tool kit can be the difference between being stranded on the side of the road on a remote highway for hours and doing a light tune up and getting on your way. If you’re worried about space, a small toolkit doesn’t take up much room and is valuable enough to take priority on your packing list.
A toolkit will also come in handy when repairing minor issues with your RV setup. For example, if your awning should become jammed, you will be able to extract it easily if you have a toolkit handy. The same goes for issues with the seats, dashboard, or any of the minor upkeep that is needed with an RV. Major issues can be turned into minor fixes as long as you have the essential tools on hand.
Basic toolkits can be found at any hardware store or chain store and they don’t have to be expensive. The cheapest kits are still effective and won’t put too much of a dent in your wallet. This small cost will be worth the investment when you end up with a small mechanical issue with your rig you can fix it yourself instead of running up massive garage fees.
When it comes to caring for motor homes, all it takes is to learn how to drive the vehicle properly, doing research on how to fix minor issues along the way, and investing in the tools that will aid you both in fixing problems on the road and while in storage. Never be afraid to purchase a vehicle because you think you may not be able to maintain it. You can easily do so as long as you know what you’re doing.